Spring Break 2014: Party Hot Spots

By Playboy.com StaffMarch 20, 2014

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<p>Don't know where to go and what to do for Spring Break 2014? The Playboy Spring Break party guide has the answers. </p>

Thanks to our Spring Break Dos and Don’ts, you’re ready for
spring break…ready except for the biggest question: where to go? Don’t worry,
Playboy.com has your back with our picks of spring break 2014 hot spots. From
the Florida classic to a swank escape on the high seas, this list will take you
where you need to be.

THE CLASSICS

Panama City Beach, Florida

(Courtesy SpringBreakGo.com)

Go classic with the original spring break destination:
Florida. If the Polar Vortex ruined your life, sunny Florida’s heat will revive
you. Miles of beaches and 68-degree water will banish end-of-semester worries
from your mind. The locals are delightfully nuts, the spring break crowds are
huge and your expectations of unparalleled debauchery will probably be met with
gusto. Trekking to the Sunshine State is cheap thanks to charter busses
and spring flight deals. Our Florida destination pick is Panama City, nicknamed
“Spring Break Capital of the World” for good reason. Expect over 250,000 students from over 400 colleges to explode into Panama City to live life to the fullest over a seven-day
period. The 2014 entertainment includes Lil Jon, DJ Pauly D, Juicy J, Sky Blu from LMFAO and the
Ying Yang Twins. There are miles of white sandy beaches upon which you’re allowed
to drink alcohol from open containers. Bars close at four A.M. and most of them
will be hosting wild parties for the spring breakers. Wet T-shirt contests,
bikini contests, massive outdoor dance parties…this is that Spring Break 2014 adventure, the one straight from the ’80s party movies. Let someone else take care of the
logistics by picking up a travel package from the folks at STA Travel, who specialize
in student vacations. If you have your
own way there, book a condo or a hotel through SpringBreakGo and receive perks like free beer and passes to live
music events.
South Padre Island, Texas

(Courtesy IntertiaTours.com)

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including spring break. Join 12,000 to 15,000
breakers as the student crowds take over the Texas resort town of South Padre Island.
Situated in the Gulf of Mexico, in the southernmost part of the state, the
island features tropical temperatures, white sand beaches and warm, clear water.
It’s a tropical paradise that’s still in the continental U.S. Like Florida,
this destination is easily accessible via a cheap flight, bus or car. A massive
outdoor stage on Coca-Cola Beach (sponsored by the soft drink company) will
host parties this year with DJs like Steve Aoki and appearances from the Dallas
Cowboys cheerleaders. What else is there to do? How about bungee jumping, rock wall climbing, go-karts,
snorkeling and golf? Padre Island is
welcoming to its party-hungry visitors: a free shuttle will take you around the
island until two A.M. and drinks (and kegs) are legal to consume on the beach.
Conquer South Padre Island by getting an all-inclusive package like the ones
from Intertia Tours, which will put you
and your crew up in a condo close to the action, get you V.I.P. access to the
club parties and a dine-out restaurant meal plan.

LUXURY ON THE SEAS

All-Expenses-Paid Cruise

The journey is the destination when
you board a liner for a party cruise. Imagine yourself on an opulent ocean liner
with 1,200 other college students, all living like there’s no tomorrow. Many of the liners offer multiple bars and discos,
live bands, buffets, gyms, pools and hot tubs. If you’re of age (18 in
international waters, 21 in the U.S.) Royal Caribbean even boasts onboard
casinos. For a little extra (worth it!) get the add-on package to stay supplied
with unlimited drinks. And when the ship docks, you and 1,000 of your new best
friends will take your celebration to the beaches. If you pick a spot like
Cancun, you’re guaranteed to debark into a spring break already in full bacchanalian
swing. CruiseDeals will set you up on a five-day
booze cruise with stops in CocoCay and Nassau in the Bahamas. Treat yourself
this spring break and get a taste of the high life you want to be living 24/7
when you graduate.

Yacht Escape

Picture this: a private yacht
for you and your friends sailing among tropical islands, stopping at paradisiacal
Caribbean islands like Tortola and Anegada so you can indulge in riotous good
times. You meet some of the most beautiful women in the world and you have instant
appeal with the “Want to come check out my yacht?” line. This scenario, this
dream we’re pitching you, isn’t just for the Hugh Hefners of the world. You can
live it for a week over spring break with a yacht escape. StudentCity
offers seven nights on a yacht that visits eight of the Virgin Islands in the
Caribbean Sea. Just chilling with beers on the deck of a yacht in the tropics
for days on end is an experience, but this is so much more. Banging clubs and
floating bars greet you on the beaches. Tell your captain to take you to the
Bomba Shack on Tortola for the Full Moon beach party, “the most notorious bash in the Caribbean,”
which will keep you up all night and into the early morning. Each yacht fits 10 to 11 people
and comes with a stocked kitchen. It’s fully staffed with a skipper and crew,
and up to nine yachts head out at the same time so you have a flotilla of
awesome bros to party with at some of the stops. If your liver needs a break
during the trip, go snorkeling, surfing or take in the wonder of the Gorda Baths, exotic pools and grottoes on the beach formed by giant
boulders from long-ago volcanic activity.

THE UNCONVENTIONAL

Killington, Vermont

Searching for a more refined vacation that still has
opportunities for depravity? Head to the Killington Resort in Vermont for a week of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing
and partying your face off with your crew and the many other students who’re
choosing the snowy option. The snowmaking machines guarantee that hitting the
slopes on their seven mountains and 200 trails is always a superb experience.
They have trails for both beginners and experts, and if you get sick of skiing
they have a tubing park. Grab a hot cocktail at the Peak Lounge, 4,100 feet up
on Killington Peak—you’ll be the master of the world as you sip your drink and survey
the view through the glass walls. The Grand Resort Hotel’s 1,719-square-foot
penthouse suite fits 10 and has a gas fireplace in the living room and in-room
sauna…party headquarters. Still not convinced to go snowy? The resort also
has a spa to help you detox from those long nights and ski activities like the
Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge.

Spring Break Island, Croatia

(Courtesy Springbreak-Island.com)

Interested in Europe for spring break? Ibiza, Spain is a
common choice, but many of Europe’s wild youths have found a new destination. The
Isle of Pag, in Croatia, has been nicknamed “Spring Break Island.” It’s in the
Adriatic Sea and has a Mediterranean climate and lush beaches, and it now sees
mad spring break action from students priced out of the other hot locations.
For around $200, Adrialink will give you lodging in a private
apartment, access to the best parties and all of your transportation needs
except for your flight. The island has embraced its party reputation, so the
clubs and discotheques are yours. Plus you have beach parties all day, including
the Player Party, “a party full of bow ties and
bunny tails.” Acts like DJ Lia and a whole party curated by the legendary dance
music label Ministry of Sound will have you shaking it with a bevy of babes. If
you’re torn between this and the luxe boat tours we mentioned above, you can
book a boat party: Springbreak-Island.com
already includes one with every package.

THE ALTRUISTIC

Panama City Beach, Florida

You went to Florida last year or
you’re saving up for the yacht escape for next year so you’re looking for
something completely different? The concept of the “alternative spring break,” a
week spent doing good, has been growing since the 1980s. Habitat for Humanity
has a yearly Collegiate Challenge in which groups of
students travel to build homes for low-income families: see the world, receive
experience for your résumé and know that you made a positive difference in the
world. Many colleges offer an organized alternative
spring break program so you don’t have to go searching and it’s easy to sign up
with your friends. If the fees for the travel are too steep, you can fund-raise
in the lead-up to the trip: think campus keg party to raise money for a great
cause.